2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara Limited on 2040-cars

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Toyota, Honda, Nissan and more collaborating to increase fuel efficiency

Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Suzuki and Daihatsu have announced an alliance that will see a push to improve fuel economy from both gas-powered and diesel-powered engines by as much as 30 percent before the end of the decade.
The newly assembled Research Association of Automotive Internal Combustion Engines put the roughly $20-million project together, with the Japanese government committing to half the cost while the eight manufacturers will chip in the rest.
According to Automotive News, the automakers will team up and share basic research on internal-combustion engines in a bid to cut costs. Eventually, the results of the research will find its way into a production vehicle, although it's unclear just when we'll see the fruits of this partnership on the road.

Suzuki Jimny Lite is a blank canvas for off-road enthusiasts

One of the most desirable new vehicles for sale right now is the Suzuki Jimny. The compact 4x4 was developed with a "less is more" philosophy, giving off-roaders everything they need to traverse harsh terrain, but with an affordable price and none of the luxo-fluff that many modern trucks come with. Now, Suzuki has announced an even more bare-bones Jimny Lite that delivers exactly what four-wheelers want in a no-nonsense, affordable package. First and foremost, the Jimny Lite will still offer the same 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 101 horsepower and 96 pound-feet of torque, along with the same low-range four-wheel-drive and ladder frame construction that make the original such a great little off-roading machine. However, while regular Jimnys have a four-speed automatic option, the Jimny Lite will be offered with only one transmission choice, a five-speed manual.  Rather than alloys, the rig — called the "Diet Jimny" in an image filename on Suzuki Australia's website — will come with 15-inch steel wheels, tougher and cheaper than aluminum. Other exterior changes include halogen headlights rather than LED projectors, deleted fog lamps, and the subtle substitute of plastic textured side mirrors instead of the current gloss black units. Cabin wise, the infotainment touchscreen that includes satellite navigation as standard will be replaced with a old-school in-dash radio and CD player. Bluetooth is still included, though, so you can still stream navigation and digital music from your phone. Additionally, the digital climate controls will be chucked for a manually operated system. This sounds like a dream come true for enthusiasts, who tend to enjoy using their own aftermarket wheels, auxiliary lighting, and stereo options. Though pricing hasn't been announced, the Suzuki Jimny Lite will presumably be even more affordable, giving wrenchers a blank canvas to build their own rigs without paying up front for stuff they don't need. It's like when Toyota offered the 86 RC, a steel-wheeled, unpainted-bumper version of the 86 for race car builds. Unfortunately, like the 86 RC, the Jimny's sale area does not include the United States. The Jimny is available in its native Japan, south of our border, in Europe, Australia, as well as several other markets around the world. We don't see it coming stateside anytime soon, but that hasn't stopped us from longing for a Jimny from afar. With the Jimny Lite, our desire grows even stronger.

Suzuki's next Jimny won't veer too far from The Way Of The Samurai

Suzuki might be gone as an automaker in the US, but the brand is still driving along in other parts of the world. In fact, it even has new products in the pipeline and among them is a replacement for the venerable Jimny compact SUV (better known as the Samurai in America). The last all-new Jimny hit the market back in 1998, but the little SUVs have grown quite a cult following, especially in the UK. Farmers love them because the compact vehicles can go just about anywhere, thanks to a relatively high ground clearance, small size and four-wheel drive. With the new generation due in 2017, according to Top Gear, that's nearly 20 years of hard work for this off-roader. Though, Suzuki refreshed the Jimny slightly for the 2013 model year (pictured above) across the pond with a revised front end. Don't expect the future iteration to go soft, though. Unlike the similarly long-lived Land Rover Defender, which is rumored to be a bit friendlier in its next generation, Suzuki wants keep the model's abilities as capable as possible, while adding some modern assistance systems. "The next Jimny will be an evolution. It will follow the same recipe. When you see it you'll know it's a Jimny," said the automaker's UK sales boss Dale Wyatt to Top Gear. "If you were a sheep farmer in the Scottish hills you'd see the car is perfect; no argument to change it." If all these promises about the future come true, we might get to hear about the Jimny driving around the world or pulling a huge truck out of the snow for many years to come.